Sometimes you've got to let everything go—purge yourself . . . If you are unhappy with anything . . . whatever is bringing you down, get rid of it. Because you'll find that when you're free, your true creativity, your true self comes out.

Tina Turner
I, Tina (1986)

Brown Packages or Put on a Happy Face

To paraphrase Miss Sophia in The Color Purple, I'se been feelin mighty low lately. I'm only 25 years old, yet I feel like I live the life of a miserable old man (or woman, depending on who you ask ;-)). I have a demanding school schedule, mounting financial debts, demanding family obligations and an overwhelming relationship. The proverbial icing on the cake is that all my closest friends live hundreds of miles away in other regions of the country. Misery loves company, but dejection demands it. But I digress.

Interestingly enough, I recently came across the lyrics to "My Favorite Things" from the popular Rodgers and Hammerstein musical The Sound of Music. In the number, Julie Andrews sings of raindrops, roses, kittens and apple streudel as some of the things that always cheer her up. [My favorite line of the song, of course, refers to brown packages waiting to be unwrapped. Yes, Gawd.] When the dog bites, the song goes, When the bee stings, When I'm feeling sad, I simply remember my favorite things, And then I don't feel so bad

Over the last few months, I've discovered a few things that always make my blue eyes brown again, and I'd like to share a few with you. [Shout out to Oprah. Holl' atcha boy!]

1.) Celebrity Gossip/Pop Culture Blogs
Pink is the New Blog, Concrete Loop, and Crunk and Disorderly are the three best things that have happened to me in a while.

2.) Peanut Butter and Chip Ice Cream
The United Dairy Farmers make the most bomb ass ice cream ever in their Homemade label. It's relatively hard to find, as this particular flavor is only found at low end stores like Pic Pac. Once you hunt it down, though, it is pure ecstasy. Eating it is the epitome of oral sex.

3.) College boys that wear gym shorts or sweat pants to class or around campus.
Hey, I take my thrills where I can get 'em.

4.) Reality TV
I'ma drop an extensive list of my favs later, but really almost any reality show will do, especially those with black or gay people. Who wouldn't cheer up after watching the shenanigans of Flavor Flav, Aneesa or Bobby & Whitney?

5.) A Good Book
'Nuff said. Right now I'm reading "The Sport of the Gods" by Paul Lawrence Dunbar. Anyone read it?

So, anyway, these are just a few of the things that have helped me to feel better today. What does it for you? Let me know.

Here's to Julie Andrews, tasty ice cream and all of our favorite things. May our lives always be filled with inspirational musicals, delectable deserts and big brown packages.

jaison sings the blues

My soul is in gloom and no one seems to care.